m SKEENA ANGLER ROB BROWN. ‘Crooks - ' ews that conservation. officers’ have “laid charges: against a pair. of Ameri-: : Can’ guides is. good, (Two Americans’ race. Standard August: 18.2004) but. the fact that they had'to resort to an-undercover: or “sting” operation ‘to: -apprehend’ the: calleged:. perpetrators: underscores: the: difficulty. the office - ers face. when. pursuing ‘illegal. guiding under: ” the | existing laws." : . It's bad. enough that the government is cont-, . ent, 1a sell some:Of.the best fresh. water fishing . “in. the world-at“fire’ sale. prices, but: when: the : existing: legislative framework: makes ‘it. ‘easy oreigrier: exploit : a potentially. highly: lu-- ~ erative Canadian.résource for personal; nontax-" able profit; and. make it expensive’ and- ex- J . ‘emely difficult: for: fisheriés’ officers‘to prose-.:|° cute this crime, ‘the situation is. unacceptable, - ‘How. vulnerable our fi sheries, are to. exploita- tion became clear -to me’ one: afternoon: over “twenty, yéars'ago in-a conversation with. Olga” | Walker, then proprietress of the Kispiox Lodge. « Over a cup of coffee’ and ‘freshly. baked ‘cookies, . . Olga ‘told - me’. how.- some, “Ameficani clients. :. showed up every: “year, rented a’ cabin for the - entire season, then shared those digs witha ) pa-" rade. of. fi ishing, pals. who. arrived and left on-a weekly: basis over’ the: Course’ of ‘the’ [wo month - season. As. suspicious: asthe: situation: appeared “there .was no way. of proving. that’ ‘any money orf - goods had changed: hands: and that any: guiding © had ‘taken place, ”:"- A few: years. agg, my: suspicions were: aroused” when T.spottedéa late:model.ChevSuburban:—" | *. With Mon-.: the ideal“véhicle’ for: fishing gilides ~ tana license. plates . eruising -along-the Copper- _ River Road: I followed: this “SUV to-a-well. known, run ‘dnd: watched. as “four ‘anglers, . call. similarly attired ‘and: all fishing. two-handed fly- _ rods: and casting the same flavour’ of fluorescent . : lime-green - line, spilled out ‘and tade their’ way © to-the river. A. few: minutes Tater - the. driver: of” ‘the- Suburban emerged, took’ out a: cooler: ‘and = followed: them, ‘ultimately’ silting-‘on: the: beach : and watching. as his friends. fished, °°: All-of. ‘this ‘looked. a lot like guiding 0 wie, : ‘and. probably: to. any: conservation officer ‘that : may have:seen, the’ party over ‘the course of the. . week ‘they: were, there; : ‘but, provided. the''sports ‘are willing . to: Say. they. are’ not being guided, . there i is nothing-an-enforcement officer‘can do.. The: ‘Modus Operandi: ‘of; the! illegal: “guide is” simplicity: ‘itself. First she contacts prospective. clients somewhere..closé “to- home ‘Where -he. may be guiding legally.” The: trip: is. paid: for. ~ there. Then he rents a’bed and breakfast: ‘or mo-- tel room. and: meets them here: and: guides them. “| on our rivers, thus neatly: circumventing’ Such: inconveniences ‘as having to.hold a guiding li" cense, haying. to’ obtain -and’ pay” “for. ani ‘allot “ment of guiding. days, and having to! pay-taxes:.. we / [Ponce guided’ some:French: angters until T ; realized that they, Were: “operating” ‘as: ‘brokers. cn. _ an: intérnational. scale. These, sleazy’ guys: ad-" yertised on the internet, asseinbled’ their trips in” ‘France, ‘then sent angling: parties here’ accom: * panied by” fairly: skilled: fishermen... Once: com~" . fortably:settled into-a‘local hotel, they hired lo- cal guides,. but only: long: ‘enough ‘to. get the. ay of the land ‘and the run-off. the river. “That ‘ac- . complished. they ‘then: had’ the “expeyts among - ‘them take the-rest of the group.and. subsequent : groups out‘as the guide, doing. an end run.of: the * regulations thereby.” : “Where are: you. going ‘from. ‘here? I asked’ one of these Frenchmen who" was: al the. end f: his trip. "Oh, Tam: going to visit mon: ami, Michel, on. zee Kispiox,” he: ‘replied, which: takes. US. back ° to Olga Walker" s former’ dilemma: To use-a forest resource analogy, t thig kind of. chicanery is akin-to a ‘foreign. lumber: company, .. making their wiy., over hére: then cutling down: our. trees and ‘selling. them for profit. to their, “countrymen for a fee of: twenty. bucks a day: af. ter paying some: local ‘duide” one ‘day's wages lo show them ‘where the: trees, are. So how do we ‘stop, this’ ripoff? Simple.” We o ‘make all our: tivers.class one or. two then we make it mandatory’ ‘that. all’ foreigners have- teg-. - istered local’ guides on class-one and: two .wa-" ters, Thereby crealing a wintvin. scenario ‘as: ~ long-as the ‘numbers of gilided days stays fixed, Under (his: scheme’ the: demand for:'g ing . services ‘will skyrocket’ to the: tnmense: benefit. of the-local” guiding. dndustry. “And, the -greatest’ cause of crowding « con those tivers wil) be- ed, which benefits local ‘anglers’: Ad tionally,” local. anglers’ will -né Jonger’. have. to, contend - with foreign. steelhead bums: who- abuse. our: generosity by caniping’ alongside. our: ‘best: ‘piec- : -es-of salmon, waler for thonths on end.” Finally, it, will’ ‘greatly help our COs Ds idemity and ‘bust illegal Buide. — charged for illegal fish: guiding, Ter: |. 1." and not turn. the win. By MARGARET SPEIRS. OFF THE TRACK wild rides and lost. wheels, characterized ‘the ace “tion on. the: last. ‘points day of: the “racing - séason | at’ the. ‘Terrace’ Speedway, on. August, 2 “ corner one... oo The. first. locked; ‘smoked and. the-'vehicle *- : aunched - off the track: and: into: the 2 bushes: next to: the. swam . “A “tow truck’ pulled him: ‘out’ with “weeds: hanging | from the’ front. “and rear biampers. After, Jonathan’ said, “TE hit.the = . brakes: first: and: he Pedal stopped. a ~half'way:” ‘2 ER “The “brakes deked: up”, dad: “Joe. commented. ; “or "When'you lose ‘the: brakes, tho ~ pedal Boos right to the Noor, Jor | ©. tlathan: explained... _ Luckily, Jonathan ‘was. okay: “Oh ‘yeah, [ just went off and nlo the swamp,” he said.” However, the crash: bent the: * ". ‘driver’ s -side~ upper “control: ‘arm,: “which: Jiolds the*tire in line; and. “caused coiiceri the: tire night Fub 7 Tat oth: wee “There's “the: ‘track: ° “By MARGARET: SPEIRS - on ‘regionals and provincials recently. : Manrécn Rowlett, won a, second place. ribbon ‘Jumping: “at the. B, Interior, North Regional os Poiny Club: Championships in Prince George.” ue ‘ships in Kelowna, : “ing: Simon wasn’t ready for large ‘competitions, * Hernes, in: both conipetitions... “Twas happy. with i “ever cleared: ‘with a horse: 2 "Tve shown. 3 6" Pg", a “She's: cleared 4 feet on-Czar, . has cher! 's other horse. °° - dn ‘addition -to: dreséage “and ‘sindiuni | jump- _iudges instruct. ‘riders ta make their. horses, trot Mo, “Et might not be able fo-run but; “we: "ll try,” ‘Joe: said. © - He and his crew fixed. the ‘car’ “and it raced a couple more races; * Jonathan “fléw the car ‘off- the... “wack for. the: ‘second. time. when he: - drove 00, hhigh: on corner. number. “ “into= the aes ‘a. farther." aye -Onee. agaiii, ‘he, wasn? "tinjured, Corer: number: one causes dri- < ~ “vers: the. most: problems, said: C -- bomber driver: Kat. Feeney.” : “SIt’s ‘Lough: because. if you, ‘get ‘she ‘too high, aut can't make. “it,”. “Ir you’ re , going ‘100 fas cane [negotiate] it” ‘and, you. eo SA. groove you: “like io “get ‘the, lires. in [lower down) a 3: you.can: keep: it on ihe: track.” : Feeney’ had ‘her-own, trouble: ) She. almost. won: the c Bombe ‘Main: Tae, leading Debby.:Rein ~-hardt most of the. way -until- she ae too ClOBe: io the: edge on: “TYREL ORANGO; car #419, burns rubber as he hits Les Reinhardt, car. #56, while Al ‘Stewart's vehicle sits minus a tire ‘during the final 7 ~Hit-to-Pass race at Terrace Speedway on August 22. Reinhardts: car went off the wack shortly alterwards, leaving Orango to drive to. . ild rides at th dust: sctrick”,. é ie: ‘troubles that” evéniiig. - ed up. “not. little ‘bit: os? to-the pit.’ “you' , the: missing. tire. corner two- and ‘spun out in, “the __- The lap: restarted once Peeney’ turned her car but. Reinhardt won. ‘Reinhardt. raced: herself ‘a’.“hat:- winning | all: three G ‘bomber - .The: Orange. fam ly | iad mor 2: Dil ring ‘the -A- Thunder. Heat o “races. ‘Joe’ Orango lost-a tire -just~- after the fourth ‘corner-and skidded: his. car into. the’ infield, ‘coming to”. "a.stop in’ the grass just “as his lone ” opponent, Les Reinhardt;’ passed: : “Reinhardt: took-‘the checkered Sof flag a: couple: ‘of laps laters: 0 2. : ‘Orango_ climbed “oul - the’ paé- “senger window arid waited for — stow: ruck. to! ‘take: his vehicle back = --On- his request, “his. teammates combed the: fourth corner: ‘brush for. “Son, Tyre returned emplyhan ore g ‘gone, “With 60. psiin. the | ‘tire,’ it’s like a. bouncing. bali,” hi vsaid, adding. ‘there's about’ 30. JP : _in-a tiormal vehicle. lire." - we Tyrel ended -the. face. night with” “a win. as‘the final event; the Hit: .” a) “Pass, ‘Proudly lived: we to CE ee MARGARET SPEIRS PHOTO. Ler or a om ae “name. a ae. LAl-Stewart‘s car blew. a tite on of “ comer number. three. uo ABS Dan’: Dollemore’ “ “SOS _ “ear: : slowed: toa stop. shiortly ‘into the! race. S Les Reinhard’ flew: his vehicle : off: the fi rst corner. near the: énd. of “ “the race. ° a OSL owas. ‘gonna freaking: smoke. , him. in -the.. aes," Tyrel’ said about, ‘Reinhardt’ s ‘car: ; ~ After. -winining, ‘Tytel ‘smoked his, ‘tires, on ae pavement: for. his loa A ‘LOCAL RIDER jumped - her, steed. to: re | “and: second place: -at. the: Pony. Chub northern 7 a ~ Heather: Stewart,. along with Terrace team= mate Kelsey: ‘Monaghan and. Kitimat teammiie: ‘in Team. Dressage. ‘and first, splace - in Team’ «Then Stewart went-on to: win’ an individual First: ‘place. ribbon in Zone for'3" to:3" 3” jimp- - “ingvat the’ Pacific Zone. ‘Pony. Club champion ok -.] think wiht It's good to act 7 _ lin ‘out t {to competitions}." ee | “Stewart rode Havana, the ‘six-year-old ‘mare: - belonging: io her riding leacher, Kirsty. Evans- ‘bit ‘jumped: higher’ ‘hele aid “ a a : “ing: Stewart also. rides ‘in flat classes; where. .... fall fait. * Oo. “HEATHER STEWART, 13, jumps. har riding teacher's horse Havana at the BC. interior . . North Regional Peony. Club, Championships | in Prince. George i in Jilly. PHOTO CONTRIBUTED: “ Stewart; ‘who's been”. ; tiding: for (our years, : snid-of her. performance. - oe ‘Her winning jump Isn't: ‘the highest she’s s. and follaw other commands. “-In’ her: spare. time,’ Sicwart. trail. ‘tides and: “swims with: Simon. near: Copperside: Stables -where Simon: boards. - we _ The Copper. River provides” a. ‘calm backflow ~ ea where: Stewart and, her: Tricnds: lake. heir’: ; competitions}, ” -she said, > ships she hopes to. ride: i “She stays.on Simon whi “he swims: ns through’ : the'B.C:border. ihe wiiter, which can.flow as high as: ‘her, hips. Even? tholigh ‘school : starts’ soon,..Stewart.’ : plans to continue riding’ as fntch:as. she cans - Her future: Plans: include ‘competing t at the ° india Olympic showjumping team. cated ‘southwest of:Cilgary, Alberta. This time: she’: 5: tiiinking of riding Simon, : : - “ST think T will. It’s good to" ‘gel hima: “Out Te. : Tf thete’s. a:Pony Club: national hampion= nite : "However; her: riding: espns dont tend at “T d. like.t0: go: to. Spruce Meadows," she | said: cadiling: she! s Visited the horse course: lo- -” Everitially, she’ hopes to qualify: for the: Ca